


To Save a Crow

by NightSkyWriter



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo, The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Grishaverse Big Bang 2020, Hurt/Comfort, Whump, translated to russian, Перевод на русский | Translation in Russian
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:21:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26336353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightSkyWriter/pseuds/NightSkyWriter
Summary: Five Times Kaz Saves a Crow and One Time They Saved HimTranslated to Russian by Sons of IcarusTranslation
Relationships: Kaz Brekker & Inej Ghafa, Kaz Brekker & Jesper Fahey, Kaz Brekker & Matthias Helvar, Kaz Brekker & Nina Zenik, Kaz Brekker & Wylan Van Eck, Kaz Brekker/Inej Ghafa
Comments: 50
Kudos: 197





	1. Wylan

**Author's Note:**

> AN: Before I get to the fic, I’d like to thank my gang, Eight for a Kiss. You guys have been so much fun to work with. I’ve enjoyed looking at your art and working with you to make a great fic. Each of you have made this Big Bang so special for me. Thank you all! You did a truly magnificent job. Congratulations on a great Heist ❤️ Your Etherealki, Night
> 
> (Edit)   
> This fic was recently translated by Sons of Icarus. Thank you so, so much!! I appreciate the time you took to translate my fic. It is such an honor. Thank you!   
> If anyone would like to read this fic in Russian, the link is in the bio of this fic!!

Kaz scrubbed a hand across his face and breathed in the salty air. Even from the Crow Club, he could smell the nearby ocean.  
  
He’d been working on paperwork for most, well, all of the day and he didn’t want to see any more numbers for a week.  
  
The coffers weren’t following the normal numbers for the time of year. He’d personally picked his people – they weren’t skimming. They knew Kaz would take their hand for that.  
  
No, the Crow Club wasn’t getting the customers. Spending customers. So either people weren’t into gambling anymore or another gambling hall was getting the business.  
  
He knew it wasn’t the first option. There were always tourists and natives alike willing to throw away their kruge for the idea that they may be able to make more than they lost. Kaz had seen it time and time again. They were always wrong. They lost and the Crow Club made more money.  
  
Except this year.  
  
Kaz watched people filter past in the street.  
  
Most of the people wore the bright colors associated with Barrell. The tourists were easy to spot.  
  
They looked up at the crumby buildings with looks of awe. All they saw was the neon paint on the buildings and heard the music coming from inside the gambling halls.  
  
They didn’t see the peeling of the paint and the grime that climbed from the building supports to the rotting roofs. They didn’t see the true Barrel, only the glorified version.  
  
Kaz had improved the Crow Club with the money he earned from the Ice Court heist. It didn’t look like it was about to collapse from a single good gust of wind anymore. In fact, now it was one of the best gamling halls in the Barrel, if not the best. It was Kaz’s gambling hall.  
  
As the sun sank below the buildings and the sky turned variegated shades of orange and purple, the crowds became denser. People didn’t come to the barrel in the day. Most of them did not want to be recognized.  
  
No, the barrel got most of its business at night, when everyone out was too busy committing their own crimes to care about another’s.  
  
The sound of a fist hitting flesh caught Kaz’s attention. It was a sound he was used to, but it wasn’t supposed to be coming from the alley beside the Crow Club. He kept it as brawl free as he could. Tourists didn’t appreciate being interrupted by a fist fight.

Kaz walked around the building, cane thumping against the wet ground.  
  
Even in the low light, he instantly recognized the mop of blond hair and slight frame. Wylan.  
  
He didn’t come around much, not as often as he did in the months after the Heist, but when he did he had a knack for running into problems. It was probably why he got along with Jesper.  
  
The person hitting Wylan was a Razorgull. Kaz knew of him, but only had a few interactions with him. Andrik, a lieutenant of the Razorgulls. He was built like Matthias, but taller. Taller than Kaz.  
  
Wylan was bleeding already and it took everything Kaz had to keep the rage that the sight sparked in check.  
  
He’d seen people in his gang take a beating, sometimes at the hands of other Dregs, but he didn’t tolerate it from other gangs. Not if they wanted peace with the Dregs. Peace with Kaz.  
  
The Razorgull grabbed Wylan by the front of his shirt and forced his back against the wall of the alley. Kaz saw a knife in Andrik’s hand, the blade pressed to Wylan’s neck.  
  
The Razorgull did not even notice Kaz. Not until Kaz swung his cane and the weighted crow head connected with the back of the man’s leg with enough force to break bone.  
  
The Razorgull howled and dropped the knife. He let go of Wylan and turned to Kaz. Shock, anger, and pain warred in the man’s eyes.  
  
The man didn’t hesitate.  
  
Kaz dodged the first punch the man threw, the second caught him in the ribs. It wasn’t the worst punch he’d taken. The Razorgull was all muscle, he didn’t have the skill to throw a good punch. Kaz knew of people smaller than the Razorgull that threw a more painful hit.  
  
Kaz was one of them.  
  
He slid knuckles onto his right hand and didn’t stop punching until the Razorgull was on the ground. It didn’t take long.  
  
Once he was sure the man wouldn’t stand up as soon as Kaz walked away, he turned to Wylan.  
  
He held out his gloved hand and pulled Wylan to his feet.  
  
His face was already beginning to swell, and he favored the left side of his body. Wylan had been in the Barrel for three years now and he still dressed like a mercher’s son.  
  
As far as Kaz could tell, Wylan didn’t appear to have any major injuries.  
  
Kaz looked away and started for the back door of the Crow Club.  
  
He heard Wylan following behind him.  
  
“What happened?” Kaz asked, not turning around.  
  
“The Barrell happened.” Kaz waited for Wylan to elaborate, but he didn’t. “Thank you, by the way. For having my back.”  
  
Kaz glanced over his shoulder at Wylan. He gave a slight nod that he wasn’t even sure Wylan saw.  
  
He opened the door and ushered Wylan in.  
  
It was dark through this route. Boxes were stacked to the ceiling and the only light came through the grime-covered windows.  
  
Kaz didn’t come by this route often. Only when he didn’t want to be seen or was smuggling something in that the customers couldn’t see without risking the success of a heist.  
  
The room was used for storage and a hideout when necessary. Most of the time, it was ignored.  
  
Once Wylan was through, Kaz shut the door behind them.  
  
“Why are we going this way?”  
  
“You want to go through the front door looking like that? You look like you got your ass handed to you.”  
  
“Why do you care?” Wylan asked.  
  
“It makes the Dregs look weak.”  
  
He felt more than saw Wylan bristle. It wasn’t entirely true either. Sure, a member of a gang being beat reflected on their gang, but that wasn’t why Kaz cared.  
  
Kaz weaved through the boxes and hoped Wylan would follow the same path. The boxes were stacked poorly on purpose. One wrong hit and it would all come down. A cautious action in case stadwatch or another gang found their way in and had to be slowed down.  
  
Thankfully though, Wylan didn’t bump any of them.  
  
“My father still has connections. According to Andrik, my father sent him.”  
  
Kaz stopped walking and glanced over to Wylan, though he could barely make out the smaller boy’s shape in the dark.  
  
He wasn’t sure what to do with the information yet. Jan Van Eck had been sent to Hellgate, he wasn’t supposed to be able to get to Wylan anymore. And yet, he had been able. Right outside of the Crow Club. Kaz’s turf.  
  
If it could happen outside of the Crow Club, it could happen anywhere. Wylan would be dead if Kaz hadn't been there. What if it’d been outside of the Dime Lion’s gambling hall instead? What if none of the Crows had reached Wylan in time?  
  
“You need to learn how to fight,” Kaz said.  
  
“I know how to—”  
  
“No you don’t,” Kaz snapped. He wasn’t sure why he was angry. Maybe it was because of the coffers. Maybe at Andrik. Maybe it was Van Eck. But all of the anger leaked into Kaz’s voice. “I’ve watched you fight. It’s what I’d expect from a schoolboy. You fight-” Kaz paused to find the right word, “-proper.”  
  
“I’m not proper.”  
  
“If you want to survive in the Barrel, you need to learn how to fight like us.”  
  
As Kaz’s eyes adjusted more to the dark, he could see Wylan frowning.  
  
Kaz reached into his pocket and took out his knuckles. They were one of many pairs he used. Scratches and dings from use covered the dull metal, but Kaz knew they were dependable.  
  
He handed them over to Wylan.  
  
“I don’t want—”  
  
Kaz gave him a look and Wylan didn’t go further.  
  
Once he was sure Wylan wouldn’t try to give the knuckles back, Kaz turned and continued through the boxes. Wylan followed close behind.  
  
He opened the door to a hidden stairwell that led to his office.  
  
“Come on.”  
  
He ignored his leg protesting with every stair. He was accustomed to his leg aching, but the scuffle with Andrik hadn’t helped.  
  
He stepped into his office and spotted Inej over by his desk. She was reading the same documents he had been reading. The reports on the Coffers. He’d asked her to look at them, see if she saw something he missed.  
  
Inej glanced up when he came in.  
  
She wore her hair down, rather than in the tight braid she usually preferred.  
  
Her time on her ship, the Wraith, had made her more muscled and lean. He could see the muscle in her arms, in her stance. She seemed more sure of herself.  
  
“We need to get more—” She began but stopped when she saw Wylan. “Saints,” she whispered, walking around the desk.  
  
“I’m fine,” Wylan said.  
  
“What happened?”  
  
“A Razorgull. Andrik,” Kaz said, sitting in his chair by the desk. He sighed as his weight was taken off his knee. “He ambushed Wylan outside of the Crow Club.”  
  
Inej’s eyes darkened as she turned back to Wylan.  
  
“Why?”  
  
They had a peace with the Razorgulls. Kaz figured Van Eck offered Andrik a lot of money to jeopardize the peace. What Kaz didn’t know was how Van Eck convinced Andrik he had the money to give. All of Van Eck’s money had been transferred to Wylan and people knew it.  
  
Wylan explained to her about Van Eck paying people to kill him. Apparently, Andrik wasn’t the first.  
  
Kaz glanced over at Wylan, frowning.  
  
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Inej asked, voicing the question Kaz was thinking.  
  
Wylan lifted his chin, but with the injuries on his face, Kaz knew it wasn’t the image Wylan had hoped it would be.  
  
“It’s my problem. I didn’t see a point in complaining.”  
  
“I told you when you first joined the Dregs,” Kaz said, “don’t hide anything from me. What would have happened if I wasn’t there?” Kaz didn’t bother waiting for an answer. “You are the best demolitions expert I have. Don’t get yourself killed for something stupid.”  
  
“You’re a part of the team, Wylan. It’s not complaining. It’s informing,” Inej said.  
  
Wylan didn’t reply for a moment. He seemed to consider their comments before nodding.  
  
“I need you to teach me how to fight,” Wylan said to Inej. Kaz glanced up. “If I’m going to be a member of this gang, I can’t be a weak link.”  
  
The confusion Kaz felt was mirrored on Inej’s face. When Kaz had said he needed to learn, he didn’t mean from Inej. But he saw how it made sense.  
  
The look Inej had was quickly replaced with one of determination. She nodded.


	2. Jesper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jesper gets injured during a heist. Kaz finds him and tries to get him back to the Slat before he runs out of time.

“Jesper,” Kaz hissed, tapping Jesper’s face with gloved fingers. “Wake up, you idiot!”  
  
Rubble from the building Wylan managed to blow up was piled on top of Jesper. Kaz and the rest of the Crows had been looking for him over an hour. Ever since the building blew and Jesper didn’t show up to their rendezvous.  
  
If Kaz hadn’t noticed the slight rise and fall of his chest, Kaz would have believed Jesper to be dead.  
  
“Jesper!”  
  
Jesper’s eyes barely opened, but that wasn’t good enough for Kaz.  
  
“Jesper, can you hear me?”  
  
It took him a moment to reply but eventually Jesper replied.  
  
“Yeah, I can hear you,”he rasped. “Idiot.”  
  
Kaz almost smiled.  
  
“Can you move?” Kaz asked, beginning to move the rocks on top of Jesper before he could reply.  
  
“I think so.”  
  
Kaz continued moving the rocks until Jesper was uncovered.  
  
He helped Jesper to his feet and one of Jesper’s arms was draped over Kaz’s shoulder.  
  
Kaz wished he could ignore the heat coming of Jesper, seeping through his coat where they touched. But he couldn’t.  
  
The contact was enough to make him sick.  
  
The sooner they reached the Slat, the better.  
  
Kaz considered going to find the others and tell them he found Jesper, but he didn’t have time. He needed to get Jesper home.  
  
He started walking for the Slat.  
  
“What happened? Why weren’t you at the rendezvous?” Kaz asked, once he had shifted to hold Jesper up in a position where they wouldn't fall.  
  
“I got called away.”  
  
Kaz shook his head.  
  
Who the hell could call him away? Towards a building he knew was about to explode?  
  
Jesper suddenly became much heavier. Kaz came to a stop before his bad knee buckled.  
  
“Jes! Dammit, Fahey! Just stay awake!”  
  
Jesper got his feet under him again.  
  
“I’m not asleep, Kaz.”  
  
“Are you bleeding?”  
  
“What?”  
  
Kaz sighed and walked them to a bench. He lowered Jesper as easily as he could. What a sight they were.  
  
Dirtyhands and his sharpshooter.  
  
If anyone saw them, Kaz wouldn’t hear the end of it.  
  
Jesper’s side was dark with blood.  
  
Kaz cursed under his breath.  
  
It was too much blood. Jesper needed a healer. A Grisha healer. And Kaz didn’t have one. His old healer had disappeared. Kaz wasn’t sure if they left voluntarily or if the Dregs just hadn’t found the body yet.  
  
“Jesper, did you ever buy Nina those waffles?” Kaz asked, grasping for anything to keep Jesper awake and talking.  
  
That was enough to make Jesper open his eyes.  
  
“You promised Nina waffles. Remember?”  
  
Kaz didn’t know why he chose waffles as the subject to keep Jesper awake but if it worked then Kaz didn’t really mind.  
  
“Um, yeah. Why do you care?”  
  
“None of your business. How did it go?”  
  
Jesper started telling him about the breakfast, but Kaz could not follow what he was saying. Even if Jesper was making sense, Kaz wouldn"t have been able to concentrate on his words anyway.  
  
He had to get Jesper to the Slat. It was further than Kaz would have liked. It was a distance even if he had his cane and wasn’t supporting Jesper’s weight.  
  
“Kaz?” Jesper asked, pausing his story.  
  
“What?”  
  
“What’s wrong?”  
  
Kaz shook his head. Bloody idiot.  
  
“You got hurt, Jes.”  
  
“Well, yeah. Duh.” Jesper laughed and Kaz found the sound disturbing.  
  
He was carrying his best friend through the streets in the dead of night and the only sound was laughing.  
  
“It’s not that big a deal, Kaz. I’ve had worse.”  
  
Kaz shook his head. “No, you haven’t.” I would have remembered.  
  
“My first week of gambling in the Barrel. Man, I was an idiot.”  
  
“You still are.”  
  
“I, uh, got stabbed,” Jesper said, either ignoring Kaz or just not hearing him. “Walking back to the university.”  
  
Kaz risked a glance over to Jesper. His eyes were unfocused, but he didn’t look like he was lying.  
  
“Some bloke thought I had money. I didn’t. I spent all I carried with me at the tables.” Jesper laughed again, but it wasn’t as jovial.  
  
“What happened? Kaz asked before he could stop himself.  
  
“A, um, grisha found me. Saved me.” Jesper sighed. “I thought I was going to die that night.”  
  
Kaz didn’t know how to reply, so he didn’t.  
  
After a moment, Jesper continued.  
  
“I joined the Dregs soon after.”  
  
“Your worst mistake yet.”  
  
Jesper smiled. “Yeah. Probably.”  
  
When Jesper didn’t reply, Kaz glanced over at him.  
  
His head was hanging, and his eyes were shut.  
  
“Jesper!”  
  
Jesper’s eyes blinked open.  
  
“I wasn’t asleep,” he said.  
  
“Bull.”  
  
“What do you know about bulls, Barrel Boy?”  
  
Kaz shook his head. Quite a lot, actually.  
  
Instead he said, “I know you. You’re as bull-headed as they come.”  
  
“You’re worse than I am.”  
  
Kaz carried them across a bridge. It wasn’t much further to the Slat now.  
  
“You’re proving my point,” Kaz said, focusing on the cobblestones in front of them.  
  
Jesper didn’t reply for a moment before saying, “I think Wylan may be more bull headed than either of us.”  
  
Kaz considered it for a moment before nodding. Yeah. Probably so.

When Kaz walked into the Slat, he didn’t bother being quiet.  
  
He slammed the door shut behind him with his heel.  
  
The image of him coming in, Jesper slung across his shoulder was enough to get everyone in the Slat to shut up.  
  
Jesper hadn’t made it to the Slat before passing out.  
  
Kaz started for the stairs, and Anika took Jesper’s other arm without a word. The two managed to get Jesper up the stairs and to his room.  
  
“Go find Nina,” Kaz said, as she helped him lower Jesper on to the bed. “She’s around the Cobweb’s base.”  
  
Kaz barely registered her nod before she walked out.  
  
A moment later, a Dreg whose name Kaz didn’t bother remembering at the moment, walked in carrying bandages and everything Nina would need to fix Jesper. If she could.  
  
Kaz had lost count of how many times she’d told him she wasn’t a healer. She hadn’t stayed at the Little Palace long enough to learn that.  
  
Kaz didn’t acknowledge the Dreg as he put the stuff down on the dresser and walked out again, shutting the door behind him.  
  
“Jesper,” Kaz said, shaking his shoulder. He didn’t respond.  
  
He wasn’t supposed to be close to the blast. Kaz had told everyone exactly where to go so the explosion wouldn’t catch any of them.  
  
Why hadn’t the idiot just listened?  
  
How did Jesper get so distracted that he was there when Wylan’s bomb went off?  
  
The door behind Kaz opened but he didn’t bother turning around. He knew who it was as soon as he’d heard her footsteps coming up the stairs.  
  
“Saints,” Nina whispered, walking around Kaz to get closer to Jesper. “What happened? Where was he?”  
  
“At the blast. He was caught in the explosion. I found him under the rubble,” Kaz said. “Fix him.”  
  
Nina gave him a look, but wisely didn’t say anything. She walked over to the dresser and began picking out what she needed from the supplies.  
  
“You need to go.” She didn’t look at Kaz when she spoke. “I can’t work with you in here.”  
  
Kaz nodded and walked out the door.

The hallway was cramped and dark. The few fire-fueled lamps that lined the walls barely did anything to provide light. Chairs were methodically placed every few doors but they were coated in a thin coat of dust.  
  
The walls of the hallway always looked slanted to Kaz, but that was probably just an illusion.  
  
When Inej had been injured it’d been mid-fight. He’d been high on adrenaline. But when he found Jesper the adrenaline was gone. He didn’t have anger to fuel him or Ooman to question.  
  
The only anger he had was at himself.  
  
He shouldn’t have let Jesper get that close. He should have been able to prevent this.  
  
He should have saved both of his brothers, but he was failing. Again.  
  
“Kaz?” He instantly recognized Inej’s voice.  
  
He looked up. The rest of the Crows were in the hallway. They were sooty and dirty from the fight before the explosion and then searching for Jesper after.  
  
“What’s his status?” Matthias asked, sounding almost as tired as Kaz felt.  
  
“Bad.”  
  
“What happened?” Wylan said. “Did the other gang find him? Was he shot?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Can Nina fix him?” Wylan said.  
  
“We’ll find out.”  
  
Kaz sat down heavily in one of the small chairs.  
  
“Kaz,” Inej said, before the other two could continue questioning. “Tell us what happened.”  
  
Kaz leaned his head back against the chair and closed his eyes. He didn’t say anything for a moment.  
  
Eventually, Kaz leaned forward.  
  
He explained to the trio what happened. How he found Jesper and the trip getting him back.  
  
He told them about the injury. That Jesper was awake most of the time and only blacked out once the Slat was in sight.  
  
When he finished he didn’t bother looking at the others. He’d just see the same thing he already knew.  
  
Disappointment. Maybe even betrayal.  
  
He’d let them down.  
  
Yes, members of his gang got hurt but he should have been able to prevent this.  
  
“I did this,” Wylan said. Kaz’s head snapped up. “It was my bomb. If it hadn’t been so—Just a little less powder and he would have been okay.”  
  
“Wylan—” Inej began.  
  
“It’s my fault.”  
  
“Don’t be an idiot,” Kaz muttered.  
  
“I’m not being an idiot!”  
  
“Then a dumbass, is that better?”  
  
“Brekker, don’t—”  
  
“It’s my fault—”  
  
“YOU WERE FOLLOWING MY DAMN ORDERS!” Kaz yelled.  
  
Wylan’s eyes widened and even Matthias seemed to shrink.  
  
“Stop trying to take the blame,” Inej snapped. “Both of you. It doesn’t help Jesper and it certainly doesn’t help either of you.”  
  
Kaz sighed. He leaned his head forward into his hands, his elbows resting on his knees.  
  
This wasn’t how tonight was supposed to go.  
  
“Everyone is tired. Everyone is worried about Jesper. But there is nothing we can do about it. So just sit down and hope Nina can fix him,” Inej said, her voice like steel.  
  
Kaz didn’t look up.  
  
He heard Matthias walking away, but he came back a moment later.  
  
Two more chairs were put beside Kaz’s before Matthias went to grab one for himself.  
  
Kaz hated nights like these. When he had to trust someone else to do a job because he couldn’t.  
  
Kaz got as comfortable as the chair allowed.  
  
It was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!!  
> Sorry for any typos - I usually post from my computer but that’s, uh, not an option rn.  
> Also, thank you to everyone leaving comments!! 💛💛💛


	3. Matthias

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After living in the Barrel for two years, Matthias’s life as a _Druskelle _catches up to him.__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the slow posting. I’m still posting these from my phone. Thank you for reading!!

Even after walking the streets of the Barrel for two years, Matthias still found himself lost more often than he would like. The winding roads and alleys had no order. It was as if a child’s scribbles had been used to design the town.  
  
He missed a lot from Fjerda. His culture and people. The people who believed in his gods rather than insulting them. He even missed the biting cold that he and the other Drüskelle used to curse. It was better than the stifling heat of summers in the Barrel.  
  
But he really missed the order.  
  
Fjerdian towns and cities were built with order. Structure. His people’s leaders would gather and plan out a city before the first corner stone was laid.  
  
Matthias slowed his walk as a rat passed under his feet, darting from one side of the alley to the other. He frowned.  
  
Fjerda also did not have as many rats. They froze to death and the ones that survived didn’t look like the washed up and bareboned creatures of the Barrel. They were strong and hardy. Even the rats of Fjerda were stronger than those of the Barrel.  
  
Generally, Matthias preferred taking the back alleys and small streets. Fewer people to run into and not as many stares to respond to with glaring. People in Ketterdam always stared. Always watched. Everywhere he went, he felt eyes on his back.  
  
People of the Barrel were nosy and noisy.  
  
Nina was noisy but she did it different. He liked her noisy. It was grounding and distracting at the same time. It was safe.  
  
Matthias’s path intersected with the one main road he couldn’t avoid. The street was crowded with people walking past, pointing at the little shops, and speaking over the crowd to the point of shouting.  
  
He hated it.  
  
If he had the skill of Inej, he’d travel by the roof tops, but that wasn’t an option.  
  
Matthias walked through the crowd. Most of the people hurried out of his way. If Nina were with him, she would probably say he was glaring. Which was true, but he had a reason.  
  
He was annoyed.  
  
Matthias almost stopped walking.  
  
He listened to snippets of conversation as he passed. Mostly Kerch. But he’d heard Fjerdan.  
  
If he ran into Fjerdan’s or – even worse – Drüskelle, he thought Kaz might actually try to kill him.  
  
They had gone through so much to fake his death. He had even been shot by a young Drüskelle just to make it look realistic. If the Drüskelle found out it would all be for nothing.  
  
Matthias scanned the crowd but didn’t see the grey of the Drüskelle uniform.  
  
It sounded like Fjerdan but Matthias assumed it was just nostalgia.  
  
As he continued, he walked faster. He could not jeopardize what little bit of peace he had built with Nina.  
  
He finally reached another branch off alley from the big road. It was barely wide enough for him to outstretch his arms. He was almost positive this one led to the Crow Club.  
  
“Excuse me, sir?”  
  
The voice came from behind Matthias.  
  
Matthias turned.  
  
The man was shorter than Matthias. He had light colored hair and dark skin. His outfit was made of the flashy material that the Kerch dared to call fashion, but he stood and spoke like a Fjerdan.  
  
Matthias looked down at the man, using his height to the fullest.  
  
I do not want to fight you, Matthias thought, as if thinking the words would make the man back off. Do not fight me.  
  
“Do you know the way to the Port? I’ve been looking for hours, but these streets…they have no organization.” The man laughed, Matthias didn’t.  
  
“I do not.”  
  
“Hmm. Too bad.”  
  
The man charged him. Matthias saw the flash of metal.  
  
The pistol was pointed at Matthias.  
  
He slapped the man’s hand and the gun flew out of the man’s poor grip.  
  
Matthias glanced behind.  
  
Three more Fjerdian’s we coming, with the formation Matthias himself had learned in Drüskelle training.  
  
The three were so focused on Matthias, they did not watch their backs. Rookie mistake.  
  
Kaz came around the corner and Matthias’s eyes weren’t fast enough to follow Kaz holding a knife in one hand to it sticking out of the Drüskelle’s leg.  
  
In one solid punch, Matthias knocked out the first Drüskelle. He hit the ground with a dull thud.  
  
Kaz took down another Drüskelle with a swing of his cane.  
  
Like everything about Kaz, he had turned his need for a cane into a weapon.  
  
The last Drüskelle, Matthias grabbed by the throat and slammed into the wall.  
  
The Drüskelle’s eyes went wide.  
  
“Who sent you?” Matthias growled.  
  
The Drüskelle looked over Matthias’s shoulder at Kaz, and somehow managed to look even more frightened.  
  
“Our superiors. We’re supposed to meet with a few merchers.”  
  
“A few merchers?” Kaz said, from behind Matthias.  
  
The hairs on the back of Matthias’s neck stood up. He did not like being unable to see Kaz. They’d been working together for years, but Matthias doubted he would ever fully trust Kaz.  
  
“Who?” Kaz asked.  
  
The Drüskelle shook his head what little bit he could with Matthias still holding him.  
  
“I don’t know. Kerch names. They are hard.” The Drüskelle gave a small nod to the first Drüskelle Matthias ran into. “He is the one that was supposed to know.”  
  
Matthias could feel Kaz looking over Matthias’s shoulder.  
  
“That’s a bit convenient, don’t you think, Hevlar?”  
  
Matthias’s jaw ticked at Kaz saying his name. He was trying to keep his identity a secret. But then, for the Drüskelle to attack him they probably already knew who he was.  
  
“Definitely,” Matthias said.  
  
The Drüskelle shook his head.  
  
“No, no, really! I do not know the names!”  
  
Kaz was silent for a moment before speaking up.  
  
“Hevlar, we’re close enough to the Crow Club. Bring him with us.”  
  
Hevlar pulled the Drüskelle away from the wall and put one hand on his shoulder.  
  
“Don’t try to run.”  
  
The Drüskelle nodded that he understood.  
  
Kaz gestured for them to continue through the alley and that he’d follow.  
  
Matthias pushed the Drüskelle forward.  
  
As soon as the he passed, the Drüskelle with the gun sat up. Matthias had thought the man was unconscious.  
  
Matthias was looking down the barrel when the man pulled the trigger.  
  
Matthias squeezed his eyes shut waiting for pain or death, but neither came.  
  
Instead he heard the gunshot followed by a string of Kerch curse words.  
  
He opened his eyes.  
  
The Drüskelle was on the ground, a knife sticking out of his throat.  
  
And Kaz was on the ground too, holding his bleeding shoulder.  
  
Matthias froze.  
  
Kaz Brekker, Dirtyhands, Bastard of the Barrel just took a bullet for him. Matthias didn’t remember a time he’d been more confused.  
  
“Yes, Hevlar. Just stand there looking stupid. It’s what you’re good at,” Kaz said, before gritting his teeth.  
  
The insult was enough to bring Matthias out of his daze.  
  
Matthias muttered a few curses of his own.  
  
He glanced at their prisoner, trying to figure out what to do with him. He decided on a quick punch. The Drüskelle was knocked out before he hit the ground, but Matthias didn’t really care.  
  
He looked down at Kaz.  
  
He couldn’t help but think about when Tressel was injured and bit a chunk out of Matthias’s arm. Kaz wouldn’t bit him if Matthias got too close, would he?  
  
It was worth the risk.  
  
Matthias scooted closer.  
  
“Move your hand,” Matthias ordered.  
  
Kaz glared.  
  
“I can’t assess the situation if I don’t see the wound, Kaz,” Matthias said, annoyance leaking into his voice.  
  
Grudgingly, Kaz moved his hand.  
  
The wound was bleeding sluggishly and was quickly staining Kaz’s shirt. A flesh wound. In and out.  
  
It looked like it hurt like hell, but as long as they found the Grisha healer Kaz hired after Jesper got hurt, Kaz would be fine.  
  
“You’ll live,” Matthias said. “But your shirt won’t.”  
  
Kaz rolled his eyes. “No shit.”  
  
He pulled himself to his feet, ignoring Matthias’s offered hand.  
  
“We need to get back to the Crow Club,” Kaz said, straight-faced as ever. Blood continued oozing through Kaz’s gloved fingers. He pointed at the Drüskelle Matthias knocked out. “Bring him.”  
  
Matthias frowned but picked the Drüskelle up.  
  
Together, they made their way to the Crow Club.


	4. Inej

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one is safe in the Barrel. Not even the Wraith.

Kaz held both hands on top of his crow-headed cane and looked out into the empty square. According to the clock on the opposite side, the other gang had a few minutes left before they could truly be considered late.  
  
Kaz continued to scan the shadows despite not seeing any movement. He could sense Inej when she hid in shadows - a rare feat. He had no doubt that if the other gang were here, he would have seen them.  
  
At the thought of Inej, he glanced up.  
  
To anyone else, it would have appeared that he was scanning the stars. It was a warm, cloudless night. But he wasn’t looking for that.  
  
He was looking for Inej.  
  
She’d be on the roof soon, if she wasn’t yet.  
  
He didn’t see her.  
  
Kaz looked behind him to Jesper and Nina.  
  
They stood a few feet back, talking in hushed voices. They occasionally gave the area a quick look. It was a trait picked up by ever Barrel-goer.  
  
The constant need to look over their shoulder. Check their six.  
  
Nina spared a glance to a nearby building that had been abandon for years. Kaz bought it years ago and used it as a hideout for the Dregs when he had meetings with other gangs.  
  
At the moment, Matthias and a group of Dreg’s hid inside, waiting in case the meeting went wrong.  
  
Since Big Bollinger’s betrayal, Kaz had been even more careful about picking his seconds.  
  
He usually alternated between Matthias, Nina and few other Crows.  
  
Jesper was always at his right, no matter the other second.  
  
Despite his past mistakes, Kaz trusted Jesper. Probably more than strictly safe.  
  
He turned away from Nina and Jesper and zoned out their conversation about the newest Barrel fashion.  
  
As he looked out to the courtyard, he saw the other gang’s leader step out of the shadows.  
  
“Jesper, Nina,” Kaz said, readjusting his cane. “It’s time.”  
  
The two looked up at the opposite trio making their way to the center. Jesper and Nina followed Kaz.  
  
The other gang was new.  
  
The Spider’s hadn’t been in the barrel long, but they were making a name for themselves fast. Faster than made Kaz comfortable.  
  
A gang did not progress as the Spider’s were without help. Normally he would not care that much.  
  
But, Kaz watched them, or rather had a trusted member of his gang watch them and report back.  
  
The Spider’s were stealing from the Crow’s crowds. They were looting customers and, by extent, money.  
  
The sound of Kaz’s cane hitting the cobblestones echoed of the buildings. He could feel Inej watching him.  
  
He looked up to the roof again, this time easily finding her.  
  
She was a shadow amongst shadows. Nearly impossible to see.  
  
“Brekker,” the other Gang leader said as a greeting.  
  
Kaz nodded.  
  
Even Inej had not been able to find a name on the woman across from him. Kaz braced the cane against the cobblestone, leaning against it.  
  
“And your name is?”  
  
The woman smiled. Her smile was shark-like. All teeth, no warmth.  
  
It was a smile often seen in those who grew up in the Barrel. People who grew up in the Barrel could see through the pretty, bright colors to the filth underneath. They were pessimists in many ways, realists in others.  
  
Kaz saw the look in each of the Dregs. He saw it every time he looked in the mirror.  
  
He could not help but think what an amazing Dreg the woman in front of him would be.  
  
But chances are that arrangement would end in one of their deaths.  
  
People like them were not meant to work together in a ruthless business like this.  
  
“Arachne,” she said.  
  
Kaz smiled. “The Spider.”  
  
Arachne smiled.  
  
He had heard that name. Arachne. He had figured it was another version of their gang’s name. A play on it. But all along it had been her name.  
  
Kaz almost laughed at the simplicity of the puzzle they had not been able to solve.  
  
Instead he turned his attention to the business at hand.  
  
He did not want to be out in the courtyard all night.  
  
“The Fifth Harbor belongs to the Dregs,” he said. He was reminded again of the night he had shot Big Bollinger. Except this time, he knew his people were loyal.  
  
“The Dregs made the Fifth Harbor what it is, I’ll give you that,” Arachne said. She flashed him that smile again. “But as you know, it only belongs to the Dreg’s if you manage to keep it. Over the past three months, the pigeons from the Fifth have preferred our gambling house to yours.”  
  
“You know where they go isn’t up to the people. They belong to the Dregs.”  
  
“Are the Dreg’s even in the financial position to defend the Fifth Harbor? You know, if it came to that. Hypothetically of course.”  
  
This time Kaz almost smiled.  
  
He always liked when people exposed the chink in their armor. And her pride was impossible to miss.  
  
Pride wasn’t as easy to control as greed, but it worked just as well.  
  
Her pride and confidence in her gang was a card up his sleeve.  
  
“It doesn’t have to be hypothetical,” Kaz said, tilting his head. He gave her a look that Matthias said made him appear twisted and warped. “The Dreg’s aren’t afraid of war. We don’t fear blood, we crave it. And we’re more than happy for the blood spilt to be yours and your gangs.”  
  
Arachne nodded.  
  
“Well, I believe we’ve reached an understanding then.” She glanced back at her seconds and Kaz felt she was giving them a signal.  
  
Kaz tightened his hand on his cane.  
  
“I only have one question, Brekker. The blood… You realized if you fight us the blood of your Dreg’s will be spilt too?”  
  
Kaz saw light bounce off the barrel as Arachne’s second took the gun from beneath their clothes. They pointed it behind Kaz.  
  
Without thinking, Kaz moved in front of Jesper. Between Jesper and the gun.  
  
As soon as he moved, the second changed targets.  
  
He should have seen in coming. He should have known.  
  
The turned the barrel to the skyline and fired.  
  
Kaz looked behind him in time to see Inej. She moved her hand to her abdomen.  
  
He couldn’t do anything but watch as Inej, the Wraith, his Wraith, fell. 

Kaz’s mind was a fog. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t think.  
  
He didn’t even notice Jesper’s hand around his arm, until Jesper was dragging Kaz away.  
  
Matthias was coming into the courtyard, backed by more Crows.  
  
He was shooting, but Kaz could barely hear the gunshots as Matthias pulled the trigger.  
  
He felt like he was drowning.  
  
Only one thought made it through the fog.  
  
Inej. Inej. Inej. Inej. Inej.  
  
He’d lost her once to Jan Eck; he wasn’t sure he could do it again. Last time she’d been taken but if she was—  
  
“She’s not dead!” Jesper was suddenly in Kaz’s face and he realized he’d been speaking out loud. “But if you don’t get out of your head, we're all going to be killed. So wake up!” Jesper looked over Kaz’s shoulder and his eyes widened.  
  
He pointed his pistol behind Kaz and fired.  
  
Kaz turned to see the second who hadn’t shot Inej, fall to the ground. He was dead before he hit the ground. He had a small pistol in his hand - probably intending to kill Kaz.  
  
Kaz blinked and quickly looked around.  
  
The Dreg’s were in a corner and outnumbered.  
  
Kaz realized this had been Arachne’s plan all along. Of course she didn’t care about the Dreg’s claim on the Fifth Harbor.  
  
She was planning to kill Kaz tonight. All of them tonight. And she started with the Wraith.  
  
Kaz reached a hand out and he didn’t look at which Dreg handed him the gun.  
  
He lifted the rifle to his shoulder. It felt odd in his hands, but not unfamiliar.  
  
It wasn’t his weapon of choice, but he knew how to use it.  
  
Eventually the Spider’s retreated, and those who didn’t bled out on the ground.  
  
As soon as they were gone, Kaz pushed the gun into the chest of the nearest Dreg.  
  
Even if he ran into any stray Spider’s, they wouldn’t stand a chance, gun or not.  
  
Kaz ran to where he thought Inej fell. He could hear the Dregs behind him, calling him to come back. Matthias and Nina were the loudest. They didn’t know where Arachne was but at the moment Kaz couldn’t find it in himself to care.  
  
He heard footsteps behind him and saw Jesper running after him.  
  
He knew better than to try to call Kaz back, so he just went as backup instead.  
  
It was easy to find her.  
  
Usually blood didn’t bother him. But when he saw it on her…  
  
She wasn’t moving. Usually when she fell, no one could stop Inej from getting up. But she. Wasn’t. Getting. Up.  
  
“Inej,” he said the name like it was a lifeline. He stopped at her side, kneeling down. He put his hand against the side of her neck, finding a pulse. Her heart was still beating.  
  
“Kaz, she’s breathing,” Jesper said.  
  
Kaz didn’t know he’d been holding his breath, but when he saw the rise and fall of her chest, he inhaled shakily.  
  
She was bleeding so much.  
  
He wasn’t the type of person to make wishes, but at that moment he wished with everything he had that he could switch places. Because if something happened to him, it would be okay. Kaz didn’t matter. Not really.  
  
But Inej did. He wouldn’t be able to continue without her.  
  
Kaz removed his jacket in one fluid motion and pressed it to the wound.  
  
Inej gasped in pain, her eyes opening.  
  
“Inej, I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” Kaz said. He didn’t know what he was apologizing for. He had a list of things he should apologize for.  
  
Say you’re sorry.  
  
The memory came to him unbidden.  
  
For what?  
  
The last time he thought he’d lost her.  
  
Just say it  
  
When she’d been stabbed by that idiot, Ooman.  
  
I’m sorry.  
  
She passed out again before she could reply.  
  
He knew Jesper and the rest of the Crows were watching, analyzing but he didn’t care. He couldn’t because Inej was hurt and that’s all that mattered.  
  
He picked her up and tried to ignore how light she was.  
  
“Move,” Kaz said, walking past Jesper.  
  
She was breathing, and Kaz intended to make sure she didn’t stop.  
  
“Jesper, go to the Slat. Get the healer ready.” Kaz had barely finished speaking before Jesper was gone. “Nina, with me. Don’t let her—”  
  
Kaz didn’t finish the sentence, but looking at Nina’s face, he didn’t have to.  
  
The Crows parted as he walked past. No one was willing to get in the way of Dirtyhand’s trying to save his Wraith.


	5. Nina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nina runs into trouble and Kaz’s good day takes a bad turn

Nina slashed her hand through the air, snapping both of the Druskelle’s necks in one fell swoop. Their bodies hit the ground with a dull thump. There had only been two, and Nina had never been so grateful for the low number. In her current condition, she wasn’t sure how many she could have taken down.  
  
And any Druskelle left alive would have finished the job and killed her.  
  
Instead she was leaning against the wall in a dirty alley with a knife wound in her side, courtesy of the Druskelle at her feet..  
  
To be fair, she should have seen them coming.  
  
She’d been trained to spot Druskelle’s since she first started classes at the Little Palace. Rare was the Druskelle that knew how to hide and blend in with the crowds.  
  
And if Nina was being honest, she wasn’t that surprised at the situation. It was just her luck that the two Druskelle in Ketterdam would not only recognize her and be stupid enough to confront her, but also have enough skill to sneak up and stab her before she could react.  
  
But the fact was, she hadn’t seen them coming and now she was paying for it.  
  
If Zoya was there, Nina knew she would have taken this opportunity to give Nina a lesson on all the ways she’d failed.  
  
Nina apsently wondered what Zoya would choose this time. Would she choose Nina’s inability to go unseen that led the Druskelle to spotting her in the first place? Or perhaps Zoya would point out that Nina should have been paying better attention to her surroundings. Nina’s personal favorite was that Zoya would insult her choice in partner. Would the Druskelle have even recognized her as Nina Zenik if she wasn’t infamous among their ranks for decimating an entire squadron of Druskelle on the docks after the job at the Ice Court and turning one of their loyal soldiers, Matthias Hevlar, against the Druskelle?  
  
Nina looked down at her gut, watching the blood spill between her fingers as her vision darkened at the edges.  
  
The alley floor was already being coated in blood, her blood.  
  
Nina lifted her hands from the wound. Her hands shook as she tried to call her abilities to heal herself. The wound started to knit itself together. It was a slow, painful process, but it was working.  
  
Too early, her power gave out.  
  
The resulting wound was smaller, but blood continued to sluggishly pour from the wound.  
  
It wasn’t enough for her to consider herself healed, but she hoped it was enough that she could find help before passing out or worse.  
  
Nina braced her hand against the alley wall and forced herself to stand. The movement almost made her black out. The pain from her wound became excruciating.  
  
Nina paused, waiting for the world to come back into focus before continuing.  
  
Eventually, she was able to stand. She leaned her head and shoulder against the wall, and took a breath.  
  
She was Nina Zenik. Member of Ravka’s Second Army. After everything she had survived, she wasn’t going to be taken down by two Druskelle in a Barrel alley. She was a warrior.  
  
She pushed one hand to her wound and the other to the wall, balancing herself. And she walked. One foot in front of the other.  
  
She only had to find a member of the Dregs. They would recognize her. She just hoped she wasn’t found by another gang first.  
  
The Slat was closer than the Crow Club, but she wasn’t sure she would make it there in time..  
  
She made her way out of the alley and into a wider street. It wasn’t used often. The tourists didn’t venture back behind the little shops, bars and gambling halls, so at least she had a clear path.  
  
She didn’t make it ten feet from the alley before she heard a familiar voice call her name.  
  
“Zenik?”  
  
Nina stopped but didn’t turn around. She wasn’t sure she could. The darkness at the edges of her vision was getting larger, growing until it was almost all she could see.  
  
But she didn’t have to turn around. In a second, minute, hour, she couldn’t tell, Kaz had come around and stood in front of her.  
  
“Nina?” If she didn’t know Kaz better she’d almost think he sounded concerned. “Can you make it to the Slat?”  
  
Nina shook her head wordlessly. Or at least she thought she shook her head. The world was tilting beneath her feet and Kaz’s voice was being replaced by a loud buzz.  
  
“Kaz?” She said, then paused. The blood loss was muddling her thoughts. She couldn’t remember what she was going to say. “I think...I think you’re going to need to catch me.”  
  
“What?”  
  
Nina’s knees buckled and she fell against Kaz. She felt Kaz stumble slightly and heard his cane drop before the world disappeared. 

***

Kaz was having a good day. They were few and far between in the Barrel, but Kaz tried to embrace them when they came along.  
  
He had a list of reasons, excuses, as to why his day was going well. He credited it to the Crow Club being full of tourists and the newest bit of information he’d acquired on a certain Mercher, but in reality, he knew it was due to a ship that would be docking later on that day. He’d heard that the Wraith had been spotted off the coast.  
  
Inej was home.  
  
So when Kaz walked around a corner to an alley near the Slat to find two bodies and a trail of blood, Kaz found himself annoyed.  
  
He slowed his pace and followed the blood. He spared the bodies a glance. Both had broken necks by the look of them, and he didn’t recognize either. They weren’t a part of the Dregs nor any other gang.  
  
The blood led to a small street that only a few people used. Usually it was empty except for a few rats or lost tourists.  
  
But this time, a tall, brunette woman wearing a light colored outfit with red, abstract designs was stumbling along, one hand braced against the wall of the buildings.  
  
Kaz frowned. As he moved closer he realized the red on the shirt wasn’t a design, but blood. The woman was leaving a trail of crimson blood behind her.  
  
Kaz tilted his head, recognizing her.  
  
“Zenik?” Kaz said. That would explain the identical nature of the broken necks back in the alley. It took a heartwrender - and a skilled one at that - to take out more than one person in that method.  
  
She stopped walking but didn’t show any other response.  
  
Kaz walked around, coming to a stop in front of her. It was odd seeing her so...subdued. Her normally flushed cheeks were pale and lifeless and her eyes were glassy as her gaze met onto his.  
  
Blood dripped from her hand where she covered a wound in her side.  
  
“Nina?” He asked, looking for some kind of response. She blinked and he wasn’t sure she could understand him. He did a once over before meeting her eyes again. “Can you make it to the Slat?”  
  
Nina closed her eyes and shook her head.  
  
Kaz glanced over his shoulder.  
  
They were close to the Slat. It was just around the corner. Close enough that he could hear someone playing music - if it could be called that - and a few people clapping along.  
  
But he believed her. He considered leaving her to try and find a healer, but he doubted she would still be alive by the time he found one. He knew how blood loss worked. He was all too familiar with the process.  
  
“Nina,” he tapped the side of her face with gloved hands and she opened her eyes again. “Nina, I need you to stay awake-”  
  
“Kaz?” She asked, and he wasn’t sure she’d even heard him speaking. She blinked again, looking confused. “I think...I think you’re going to need to catch me.”  
  
“What?”  
  
Before Kaz could brace himself, Nina fell. Kaz dropped his cane and caught her before she hit the ground. He stumbled slightly and lowered her as gracefully as he could.  
  
“Anika,” Kaz shouted.  
  
He hoped she would be out back behind the Slat. It was one of her favorite hang outs. But over the noise of the Slat, he wasn’t sure she would hear him.  
  
However, soon enough, he heard the tell-tale sound of feet against the gravel. A second later, she came around the corner, spotting Kaz and Nina.  
  
“Find a medik.” 

***

When Nina came to, she found Matthias. He stood in the corner of the room, arms crossed and head leaning back against the wall. Almost like he was dozing while standing which sounded like something he would do. Even dozing, he looked broody.  
  
“Hey,” Nina said. Her voice sounded croaky even to her own ears and her side smarted as she tried to sit up.  
  
Matthias lifted his head, and looked over at her. His eyes widened when he realized she was awake.  
  
“Don’t move,” he said, walking closer.  
  
“There are Fjerdian’s in town. You need to lay low,” Nina said, ignoring his comment and she pulled herself up to sitting. He rolled his eyes and helped her situate herself.  
  
“I know. Brekker told me. Apparently you told him while he and a few of the Dreg’s were trying to save you.”  
  
“Kaz?”  
  
“Yeah.” Matthias ran his fingers through his hair. It was finally getting back to the length Nina was used to. No longer the short style of Hellgate. “Brekker is the one who found you.”  
  
Nina nodded. “Oh.”  
  
She didn’t remember anything past attempting to heal herself. She hadn’t succeeded.  
  
But that was why she joined the Dregs.  
  
They were a family. And she knew they, even Kaz, had her back.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!! And sorry for the weird formatting. I usually make it easier to read, but my computer was stolen and now I can’t format it like a usually do 🙃  
> Thanks again!! ❤️


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